Black Bear Restaurant

We had a very nice meal here last Saturday night. The place was pretty crowded, but we were sat right away. Our server greeted us quickly and took our drink orders. Our meals were delivered fairly quickly, the food was prepared correctly, served hot, and were large portions. I had the short ribs with pasta and it was excellent. My wife had the local Adirondack trout which was nicely prepared but a little plain. It took a little too long for us to get our check but all in all it was a great meal.

We ate here our 1st night in Lake Placid and it was great food. Quick service, even though it was very busy. We ate out on the porch overlooking the lake and it was a great way to start our vacation!

My family and I dined here as a group of ten (along with some squabbling babies in tow), and the staff was incredible accommodating. Getting a table at the far side of the restaurant, with perfect views of the lake, felt like winning the lottery. The menu has a diner-like variety and the food is decent. The burgers were the clear favorite. It was ordered by most of our party, and it's pretty stacked with veggies, bacon, AND two sausage slices (a random topping, but who's going to complain about more processed protein? Not me!). Anyone who ordered fries at the table had to endure sharing with those who didn't because they arrived irresistibly hot and fresh. A few things fell just a little flat. The mozzarella wrap was a little plain and bland, and someone who ordered the French onion soup ended up scraping most of the cheese layer off, pronouncing it to be just 'a little too much'. But throughout our meal, service was polite and responsive, making it a great spot to grab a bite in spite of the few meal falls. The views are likely the best part of dining here, especially if you're lucky enough to snag a spot closest to the waterfront views. We were too large a group to take advantage, but if you're a smaller party and the weather's favorable, I'd definitely ask about getting a seat up on the second floor patio where I'd bet the view of Mirror Lake would be even more stunning.

Great food and friendly service at Black Bear Diner. Cozy cabin-style atmosphere, generous portions, and tasty classic comfort dishes—my pancakes and eggs were perfect. Good value; I’ll definitely return.

Best steak 🥩 in the area. The food 🍱 was delicious . I highly recommend this restaurant for excellent food and hospitality.

Great place to eat when in Lake Placid. The food here is amazing. Their service was excellent! We arrived around 4:00 pm for dinner. We were given a table on the back porch overlooking the lake. Overall great experience!

Have to go off of our two visits. I love this place and always go here. First day I did the ADK Burger and side salad. I have to say it was awesome. The second day I tried the Haddock with side salad and fries. The one side of the haddock was hard and chewy. Just the end. I did not complain or say anything as the rest of it was excellent. I ate it all and I will continue to go here. Obviously we hit up this restaurant two out of the two days we were in town 😂. My wife got the Turkey club sandwich and said it was very good. So good ordered it for both times we went there.

Our first time in lake placid and we came here after a long hike, our family of 5 we asked to be seated outside and they were happy to accommodate us. Our server was very kind that my kids started cleaning the plates and helping clear the table to make it easier for him! Food was good, the fish and chips actually was great it was well seasoned not oily and very nice.

My wife and I truly enjoyed our dinner here. Wife had a Ribeye and I had the strip. Both cooked appropriately. Simple side with each getting a baked potato. Simple but tasty. The cut of meat was better than average (forgive me, Idk prime bs wet/dry aged or whatever). I just know tasty. Water and bread upon sitting. Nothing to write home about but it was prompt. It was an early dinner so the place was quiet and service was attentive. For us, this was the best dinner we've had in Lake Placid. Price was on fair for the area which tends to be on the higher side in general.

My family and I dined here as a group of ten (along with some squabbling babies in tow), and the staff was incredibly accommodating. Getting a table at the far side of the restaurant, with perfect views of the lake, felt like winning the lottery. The menu has a diner-like variety and the food is decent. The burgers were the clear favorite. It was ordered by most of our party, and it's pretty stacked with veggies, bacon, AND two sausage slices (a random topping, but who's going to complain about more processed protein? Not me!). Anyone who ordered fries at the table had to endure sharing with those who didn't because they arrived irresistibly hot and fresh. A few things fell just a little flat. The mozzarella wrap was a little plain and bland, and someone who ordered the French onion soup ended up scraping most of the cheese layer off, pronouncing it to be just 'a little too much'. But throughout our meal, service was polite and responsive, making it a great spot to grab a bite in spite of the few meal falls. The views are likely the best part of dining here, especially if you're lucky enough to snag a spot closest to the waterfront views. We were too large a group to take advantage, but if you're a smaller party and the weather's favorable, I'd definitely ask about getting a seat up on the second floor patio where I'd bet the view of Mirror Lake would be even more stunning.

Restaurant was not busy, short wait for a table. The host is very kind and speedy! Sat down and promptly was greeted with water and bread. After that, we had to wait to order food for QUITE awhile. It almost felt like maybe they had forgotten about us. When food came out it was warm and as ordered. Ribeye and chicken tortellini. Both good and prepared as described on the menu. Waiting again for boxes and check. I will say, we spent the majority of our time here WAITING for "the next step." Overall the place is cozy and small, staff is kind but it definitely could use some buttoning up in the customer service area.

We ordered the eggplant Parmesan to share for lunch, and it was great!! Our waiter was super nice and he split it for us, and it was a massive amount of food! It was delicious! We had a fantastic seat right by the water, and it was a beautiful day to be out there. Perfect!!

The food is outstanding. Service is incredible. The view of Mirror Lake cannot be beat. It's our go to restaurant whenever we visit our son.

During our stay in Lake Placid we visited this spot and hung out at the bar and enjoyed the best Poutine! Friendly staff and wonderful food! We highly recommend this spot for a beer or a upscale dinner

I tried this Veal Parmesan when we stopped here and it was very delicious. The cutlet was a good size, the breading - while a little heavy - was tasty and perfectly fried. The sauce had a very homemade taste which was extra appealing. The whole order came with warm, homemade bread and garden salad. The service was terrific, they made you feel like family. If I had one "complaint" it's that I couldn't figure out the "vibe" of the restaurant. The menu was upscale, the lighting was dim and intimate, but there was a large bar and television in the middle as well. Overall it was a great experience!

We dropped in here for early dinner on a Thursday, and were pleasantly surprised. We were seated immediately & sat by the window overlooking Mirror Lake. The drinks were nice- a cosmo & beer. The food is good, I got haddock & fries, which were delicious! The ravioli was very meaty & red sauce was tasty and there is a lot! Service was good, we were left alone but still attended to. Overall a great place for dinner!

Accessible entrance. Conveniently located. Advertises lakefront patio seating, but it was not offered. Presumably because it's mid-Oct now. When we asked about sitting near the window, as the view offered was a large reason we chose here, we were told it was unavailable. There were only 2-3 tables of people, but okay... I'm not one to make a scene. The Poutine served was an atrocity to the name. Given our proximity to Canada, and the amount of traffic this town sees from Canada, I'd think poutine is something you'd nail. Shredded cheese? WTF We had the bacon, mushroom, Swiss burger. Zero seasoning on the patty, or the mushrooms. The "bacon" looked to be the microwaveable kind. Definitely not worth The amount of money I spent on this meal.

Our first time in lake placid and we came here after a long hike, our family of 5 we asked to be seated outside and they were happy to accommodate us. Our server was very kind that my kids started cleaning the plates and helping clear the table to make it easier for him! Food was good, the fish and chips actually was great it was well seasoned not oily and very nice. The kids meal chicken strips wasn't that good, hard and not well cooked at some sides. But the view is definitely amazing and the rest of the meal was really good

Stunning views of Mirror lake. Service was slow but it was packed. Food was good and prices were reasonable. We were lucky to find a place to serve us. Everything was packed. Ordered spiedini, lol it's mozzarella sticks. I don't think they have a true understanding of what spiedini is. I'm a New York City girl. You can never get away with that in the city. But it's a Lake Placid restaurant. so don't expect much. A must try if in area.

Came for drinks and dessert. Great vibe. Amazing carrot cake. Very attentive service. Had great conversation about Montenegro and Bosnia.

Ribs were hard and dried out and extremely mediocre. The Alfredo just tasted like noodles with oil on them. There was no flavor. This was a take out order but I got there right at the time they said and everything was cold.

On a cold day walking around town in the misty rain/ snow... I was really craving an incredible French onion soup. This place served it up right! Perfect! Will have to come back for a larger meal as all the food at people's tables around us looked great! Service was on point as well!

Last night I had the Lobster Ravioli with shrimp and it was phenomenal. Along w a white cream sauce it also had mushrooms, roasted tomato, baby asparagus and artichokes. The shrimp were cooked lightly which is my preference and the ravioli was just perfect. All the other vegetables in the cream sauce were done to perfection. I don't live locally but if I return would come back and will recommend this place to others. My wife also had a chicken meal that she also loved. Service was also cheerful and on point.

Our family had dinner here for the first time last night and our entire family enjoyed our meals. Service was friendly and good! We enjoyed a fish dish, the chopped chicken & tortellini with a blush vodka sauce, Mac & cheese from the kids menu and chicken black bear pasta- this is the only meal not pictured but my husband loved it and the portion was large.

Blah! Boring menu, okay food, rude service and staff. Great views from outdoor dining deck, but unless you like standard blah food, look elsewhere. Same owners as White Bear restaurant. Same boring menu and food. Sorry to say...

Came here for lunch. We got in immediately without a reservation (on a Tuesday afternoon). They have both outdoor and indoor seating. We opted for a table outdoors, which has a great view of Mirror Lake. I got the BLT, which had no shortage of bacon. Would come back.

We went with a group of 9, including 4 kids. The staff was very accommodating to our group. We had the kids sit at a table next to us and the staff took great care of them. Food was so delicious.... From the fresh bread and meals to the Italian salad dressing. I'd definitely go back.

We ate lunch here today, kinda disappointing, both our burgres were way over cooked, dry like hockey pucks, rolls were toasted so much they were like croutons. Cheese on burgers was not melted, just placed on top. Service was good, but for $20 per burger, things should come out better than they did today.

Very nice outdoor seating. We only had a mussles appetizer and it was good - could have used extra white wine sauce. Servers were nice and reasonably efficient at a busy time.

Thanks to the awesome view of Mirror Lake and the quality of food and service here, this is my go-to when in Lake Placid. Personal favorite is the chicken parm and the homemade bread. Unlike most restaurants in Lake Placid on a Tuesday, this one is open. Authentic Italian owned and run. Pro tip: Pay in cash to avoid 3% credit card fee!

I went to White Bear , their sister restaurant. The food was trash. I walked out after ordering a beer and an appetizer. I am not a beer snob but the server didn't know what they had on tap, vs what was in bottle, nor did she know they type of beers I ordered the calamari. For about 10 seconds I thought I was chewing on a condom. 269 chews later, after spitting the food into a napkin, I asked for the check, and walked out. I would drop this place like a bad habit .

Very basic menu, decent quality. The host that greeted us didn't say a word until we were leaving. The server was polite and professional.

Really good food & service. Great dinner option and much appreciated after a long day hike!

Food was excellent and the employees were so kind, we went there twice in the same week because we enjoyed it so much!

Excellent food and very prompt service. Our drinks appeared within a minute of ordering them.

I came to Yelp for a recommendation while in the area, and I am so happy that I did. Originally we had passed dancing bears across the street, and said we would come back dinner time for there! After looking over the menu, nothing had us too excited, so we crossed the street! Boy am I happy that we did. Cute little cozy spot. Staff was super friendly, we were seated right away. Salad was fresh and crisp, the dressings were absolutely phenomenal. I don't know if there house made or straight out of a bottle, but I wanted to take the Italian dressing home with me. Food was a good meal. Would Come back here for the atmosphere :)

Beautiful views. Food was good. Good service and our server was great. He knew the menu and was helpful. I don't eat animal products and he made certain to double check the items I ordered. I appreciated his attention to detail. No reservations. First come first serve. The best part of our meal was the homemade bread. Just soft and yummy!

Came here with a party of 8 for lunch on a Friday without reservations and we were seated right away with a view of the lake. I ordered the fried calamari and the Black Bear Burger which consisted of sautéed mushrooms, onions, bacon and sausage, topped with cheese. The calamari was really delicious! The burger tasted OK. Bathroom light was a bit dimmed. Service was great and the servers are really nice!

Slow service for food delivery. Black bear burger was ordered rare and was medium to maybe medium rare. Meat portion was good size but entire platter was under warming light so roll was toasted to point of being almost hard. Cheese steak wrap had no melted cheese and was not anything like a real Philly cheese steak

The food was edible but not good or anywhere near it. I regret taking home my leftovers, which accounted for 90 percent of my plate, because the sight and smell remind me of their original disappointment. View from the back porch was nice, as was the service.

Food was decent Service was slow They added a credit card charge which is ILLEGAL to do in NYS-I notified them and they couldn't care less

My son (in NJ) asked for his 13th Birthday to go to the Black Bear. That is all you need to know! Great staff and great food. We just got back home!

Great service and beautiful view. I ordered the baked haddock and it was delicious. Portion size was generous. The place could use a bit of upgrading.

5 stars because this place really fit the bill. I wanted a steak REAL BAD. I had a 16 oz., bloody as hell - it was incredibly good. Service was quick, staff is friendly and the space is clean.

My husband and I were looking forward to an excellent meal and were very underwhelmed. He had an steak that was way over done. I had the chicken Parmesan. The portion was huge, but lacked flavor and the sauce was so incredibly watery. The chicken was also very tough and rubbery almost like it had been microwaved. Our server was pleasant and attentive. They have a nice outside area for seating but it is not heated so it was a little too cool for us.

What a nice little place on Mirror Lake. Had the Filet Mignon and Lobster Tail. Outstanding meal and excellent service

The worst Reuben I've ever had. it had tough meat with dried edges, asked for light dressing and there was no dressing with about 1 teaspoon of sauerkraut, tiny slices of bread. Even the pickle and orange slice were dried up. i should have sent it back but we were enjoying the view and conversation. The server never asked how we were enjoying our food which was unusual but I think she must have known what the answer would be. I gave this 2 stars because the fries were good as was my friends Chicken Caesar Salad.

First visit since covid, not the same place we loved and frequented. Expected to wait for a table at noon on a holiday weekend. There are only three parties in the house. Hmmm. I always ask good restaurants what they can offer as an alternate to fries. I'm not diabetic, or a Gluten free-k, I like fries, but always appreciate knowing what a fine restaurant can offer as a healthier option. The waitress didn't know of anything, but she'd ask. The answer was fries, or nothing. I never knew "nothing" to be an answer unless the place had like six items on their menu. And, what if I DID have a health concern? Ok, bring the fries. The burger was cooked out, grey as grey can get, the bun was charred to the final gradient before absolute burnt, fries were fine, not inspiring, but easily edible. Pickle was "tired", this is a $40 entree establishment, that pickle should snap on every bite. No, not this one. I ate half the fries, enough calories, we skipped desert and coffee. Check comes, the folio advises a 3% surcharge for credit and debit cards. Ahh, CC surcharges, the final song of desperate management before they "close to remodel" and become a sushi joint six months later. When credit card customers are the problem in your sad cash flow, you're fooling yourself. I had the cash, make it last.

Caution - this establishment is not worthy of 4 stars. The service was brusque and cold at best. We asked for our salad dressing on the side and that didn't happen. The baked potato was desiccated and stringy, and the sour cream came in a single serving store-bought cup. The scallops were unseasoned and plain. The steak was okay - the only reason why I gave 2 stars instead of one. But at least the prices were way too high? There must be better restaurants at that price point in town.

I haven't written a review in years, but this place is garbage. It's run down, has lousy service and is very clearly poorly run and managed. Our appetizer was never put in which I was actually thankful about because they use extremely low-quality food and ingredients, marked up insane amounts. The price they are charging for the steaks is criminal for the grade of beef used which is likely below choice. Any diner has better quality food than here. Eat anywhere else in town but here.

We stopped in for lunch, but had little time to make a boat ride. Our waiter graciously got our food out very quickly as promised. We were seated in the patio overlooking the lake, a great dining area. The vegetarian wrap was great and the fries perfectly seasoned and hot. My husband had a Caprese salad full of fresh mozzarella and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. The tomato's were a bit out of season, but no one's fault. Thanks for the quick service and great food!

We sat inside because sitting outside would have been tight with our baby stroller. Staff was very nice and attentive, service was great. Food was mediocre. My husband and I both got steaks, potato, and veggies. Meal was good but not great. Seemed expensive for what it was.

The one star rating is for the food. The service however was good. Their food is pretty much frozen and reheated. I ordered the fish and chips cod and it was frozen in the middle. The tarter sauce was in fast food packets. Ordered another dish instead and it was the pasta primavera - the wine sauce was so so oily. I took most of it to go and it leaked so much oil I had to throw it out. Nothing tastes fresh. Both dishes were pretty gross and for $22 plus tip and tax I would much rather go somewhere else. I recommend you checkout ANY of the other restaurants on the lake. We had a beautiful view but terrible food. Not even close to worth it. Don't come here.

Nice atmosphere, great food. Friendly staff. Recommend the Black Bear burger and wrap!

Most of the restaurant is in the shadows of the large bar area, but up against the back window (where we sat), and beyond on the lakeside deck, it was light and airy. The view of the lake was calming with some distant Adirondack mountains. Service was very prompt and pleasant. Dinner came with a very small, basic salad. Their "Italian" dressing was delicious and creamy, but tasted like Russian dressing with sweet red onions. They put out four slices of complimentary, soft crusted white bread with individually wrapped pats of butter. For her entree, my wife's dish was essentially a ziti pasta primavera with mixed veggies, shrimp, scallops and salmon, in a light white sauce (champagne?). Mine was just the shrimps and scallops in a light creamy red sauce, but instead of pasta they let me substitute a baked potato. We both loved the entrees and cleaned our plates. Finally, we both had decaf coffee (because the waiter told us they didn't have a machine to make the cappuccinos we asked for) and split an enjoyable but not-the-best tiramisu, that was big on mousse and whipped cream, but very small on ladyfingers.

The view is beautiful. I ordered the lobster ravioli. I was shocked that I paid $30 for FOUR ravioli and three shrimp. Most of the dish is mixed veggies. It was delicious but not worth the price.

Good meal, very friendly staff in a quaint downtown location. I had a turkey Reuben which was good but came on regular bread. I'm used to Reubens being pan seared so it was a bit unorthodox to me. Little one had a burger which was good also.